Miriam Duke

Miriam Duke, 82, of Louisville, Kentucky, passed away on Tuesday, December 22, 2020.

She was born on September 7, 1938 in Roderfield, West Virginia to the late Isaac and Lilly (Cox) Warren. She is also preceded in death by her siblings Elsie Warren, Lawrence Warren, Francis Anderson, J.E. Warren, twin brother Mark Warren and Prentice Warren.

Mom never had a Facebook page. She never owned a cell phone. She never pursued a career outside of taking care of my dad, her countless friends, her neighbors, and us, her two children. And she never once felt like she missed out on anything. She met all her ambitions through her friends, her family, and her faith.
She regularly wrote letters and sent cards to her dearest friends. This commitment to letter-writing lasted 50 years until she became unable to write. She loved a fresh cup of black coffee; she microwaved it often to keep it piping hot.

She loved to bowl and was pretty good at it. But I think she loved the people on her team more; bowling was just an opportunity to bond with them. She loved sports. She played slow-pitch softball with ladies from church. She pitched and played catcher. One year, she made the all-star team. She was slow, but she could hit—so she got on base. Later, she became an NBA fan; she rooted for the Orlando Magic and the Golden State Warriors. Everything she did, she did with much joy and enthusiasm. Everywhere she went, she attracted new friends like a magnet.

Her faith defined her and sustained her. As adults, we've marveled at the depth and breadth of the strength of her faith. Mom endured many health challenges in her life, some of them quite serious. She had a tumor in her spine removed. She fought Multiple Sclerosis for 30 years; she had multiple strokes. She endured these challenges with grace and grit.

If anyone asked her how she was, she always said, "I'm doing pretty good". I have the best care-giver in the world." And she did. We can't imagine another man being more single-minded in his devotion to his wife than our dad. He loved her. He adored her. She knew it—and she loved him right back. It was a storybook marriage that lasted 63 years.

Michelle and I both told our mother often that we loved her. Her was response always the same. "I love you more" she would say. There was never a time in our lives when we were not confident in our mother's love. She was always present, always supportive and always devoted to us. She loved us well. And we both loved her well. In that she was confident.

Mom was born in West Virginia and raised on a farm in Bloomington Springs, Tennessee. She was always a simple, contented country girl. As our dad's career progressed, he bought her furs and diamonds. She never asked for any of them, but because they were gifts from her beloved she wore them proudly. Even when she wore all the diamond-cluster rings at once for special outings, there wasn't a prideful bone in her body. She was kind to everyone. She had an open heart to all people.
Her church was central to her life. Many of her closest friends are fellow believers from the Douglass Hills Church of Christ. There are too many names to mention here, but this church loved our mom and dad well. They supported them both with love, prayers, food, and gifts of kindness.

We know mom is in heaven. She is now seeing her Savior face-to-face. In that, we rejoice. But our hearts are breaking at the thought of this unfillable hole left in our lives. We know she now walks again; we know she is free from pain. In that, we also rejoice. But she is there—and we are here, without her. And so we grieve, at least for a time. For one day there will be a reunion unlike any other when we will go to her and share in the same blessings that she now has after a lifetime of struggle.
Rest well, sweet Miriam. You fought long and hard. Your battle is now won. May the arms of our Savior be everything that you imagined!

Miriam is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Winfred Martin Duke, son, Michael Duke (Christine), daughter Michelle Shutt (Nick), four grandsons Nathan Duke, Alex Duke (Melanie), Ryan Shutt, Ethan Shutt (Brooke), four great-grandchildren Teagan Gordon-Duke, Elliot Duke, John Duke and Zoe Duke.

Visitation will be on Sunday, December 27, 2020 from 1:00 pm EST until the time of the funeral service at 3:00 pm at Newcomer Cremations, Funerals & Receptions East Chapel (235 Juneau Drive Louisville, KY 40243).

Visitation will also be on Monday, December 28, 2020 from 12:00 pm CST until the time of the service at 1:00 pm at Anderson Upper Cumberland Funeral Home (2131 S. Grundy Quarles Highway Gainesboro, TN 38562) with burial to follow at Granville Cemetery in Granville, TN.

The family requests that contributions in Miriam's memory be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society (1201 Story Ave STE 200, Louisville, KY 40206) or by visiting https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Donate.

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